Artists Interview Artists: Amethyst Begley

Amethyst Begley, an artist from Madison, WI, participates in the Artists Interview Artists Project. Below Amethyst responds to another artist's five questions (Kimberley Lindsley from Maryland, NY). In order to participate, Amethyst had to provide me with five questions for some other artist to answer. The assigning of questions to artists is completely random. If you're an artist and interested in participating, let me know.

Big Teeth
ink, marker, correction fluid on paper; digitally colored and altered
Original: 1800px x 1200px

1. Dry spells. Blocks. Brain cramps. What ever you call them, we all get them. What do you do to rehydrate your creative muse?

There are two distinctive blockages that I know of: not creating for periods of time and the smaller and more persistent uncertainty of how to progress a project. They are very different as I have problems with the first and not the second. I have a problem with not allowing myself the time to create. The way I've dismissed this pattern of drought then flooding (I assume you can use this for artists'-block as well) is by setting myself small flexible requirements. One week it may be ten minutes of sketching a day, another week it is carrying my camera around then working with the images at home.

The benefit to me is a variety of inspiring new experiences that rather miraculously carry over to whatever project I'm working on. Sometimes literally and other times because of the newly created energy.

Lastly, looking at other people's art always, always, always inspires me and refills me. Just when I think I've scraped the bottom of my own barrel, seeing what other people do lifts me up and gives me an idea of an area I haven't even explored.

2. Art is open to an endless list of mediums. What is your preferred medium and why? What medium have you always wanted to try? Why haven't you tried it yet?

Lately I've been using the computer to create digital art, sometimes using real life sketches and other real life materials. I've also been rediscovering photography.

I've never attempted oil paints and have only recently wanted to them. It seemed almost pretentious to work in oil, when all I wanted was quick results. The more I read up on it and view others' works, I realize there is a quality to oil paintings that is difficult, if not impossible to simulate with acrylics.

3. Inspiration can come from anything and everything around us. Sometimes I feel like all the radio channels are full blown open and I am hearing a million djs yammering in my ear, hearing bits and pieces of various conversations. When you are "open" how do you mute the yammering and pick a channel to settle on an idea and work it?

Oh goodness. When that happens I feel all bottled up and fizzy. When I feel like that, I tend to dive head first into new projects, using that forward motion/energy. It then becomes a game of discarding what I can't use and shouldn't use until I have the tools and ideas left that are manageably appropriate. Until then my rough drafts are chaotic. It's only about halfway through that I start to feel normal and can begin to seriously edit.

4. Sure, we are our own worst critic. All joking aside, looking at what you've done with your recent work, are you where you want to be artistically or are you disatisfied with what you are currently producing?

Great question. "Sometimes" is the quickest and most appropriate answer. I hope you'll humor a bit more elaboration: There are some pieces that I am so disappointed with that never produced the way I saw it originally. While other pieces, after changing course several times throughout, came out better than I could have hoped. I want so very much to be better but I honestly feel I am where I need to artistically be right now.

5. Studio Space. Describe your work space. What makes is perfect for you? What would you do to make it better?

I currently work the most off of my laptop with a digital tablet and pen. It follows me around the house. My camera is near the door or near the laptop for downloading. I like this arrangement since most of my work is currently of the digital variety but because I want to work on bigger pieces again I'm just beginning the process of developing a space in the basement of our flat. This area has several tables, my easel, and once I get a stool and my radio down there I'll be all set.

Two Tulips
Digital Camera (Nikon D50), edited in photo editor
Original: 1200px x 1800px

Previous Interviews:
Juno Doran (questions by James W. Bailey)
Josh Feldman (questions by Joseph Barbaccia)
Lisa Stephenson (questions by Whitney Lynn)
Joseph Barbaccia (questions by Josh Feldman)
James W. Bailey (questions by Matt Hollis)
Matt Hollis (questions by Juno Doran)
Carol Es (questions by James Leonard)
Alexandra Silverthorne (questions by Ami Lahoff)
Christine Buckton Tillman (questions by Carol Es)
Douglas Witmer (questions by Alexandra Silverthorne)
Sky Pape (questions by Douglas Witmer)
Whitney Lynn (questions by Lisa Stephenson)
Heather Levy (questions by Joanne Greenbaum)
Heather Lowe (questions by Samantha Wolov)
Samantha Wolov (questions by Heather Levy)
Timothy McClellan (questions by Heather Lowe)
James Leonard (questions by Sky Pape)
Joanne Greenbaum (questions by Timothy McClellan)
Richard Kooyman (questions by Robert Walton)
Candy Keegan (questions by Warren Craghead)
Robert Walton (questions by Candy Keegan)
John M. Adams (questions by Richard Kooyman)
Prescott Moore Lassman (questions by Mary Addison Hackett)
Mary Addison Hackett (questions by Prescott Moore Lassman)
Andrew Wodzianski (questions by Nathan Manuel & D.Billy)
Nathan Manuel & D.Billy (questions by Andrew Wodzianski)
Michael Janis (questions by Scott Listfield)
Scott Listfield (questions by Michael Janis)
F. Lennox Campello (questions by Sean Hennessy)
Matt Andrade (questions by Adrian Parsons)
Sean Hennessy (questions by F. Lennox Campello)
George Wayne (questions by Michelle McAuliffe)
Eridanus Sellen (questions by Anabela Jevtovic)
Anabela Jevtovic (questions by Eridanus Sellen)
Marianela de la Hoz (questions by A.B. Miner)
Martin Henry (questions by Barbara Johnson-Gresser)
A.B. Miner (questions by George Wayne)
Barbara Johnson-Gresser (questions by Martin Henry)
Adrian Parsons (questions by Matt Andrade)
Heather Schmaedeke (questions by Patricia Hartnett)
Anthony Easton (questions by Melissa Kennedy)
Roz Leibowitz (questions by Anthony Easton)
Melissa Kennedy (questions by Tracy Lee)
Michelle McAuliffe (questions by Marianela de la Hoz)
Tim Folzenlogen (questions by Jason Hanasik)
Rob Willms (questions by Dott Schneider)
Marsha Stein (questions by Gregg Chadwick)
Jason Hanasik (questions by Tim Folzenlogen)
John LeKay (questions by Rosa Naparstek)
Brock Neilson (questions by Richard Vosseller)
Rosa Naparstek (questions by Howard Salmon)
Patricia Hartnett (questions by Verta Reyes)
William Andrews (questions by Bean Gilsdorf)
Howard Salmon (questions by John LeKay)
Corey Amaro (questions by Jason Dean and Matt Nash)
Michael Grayeagle (questions by Chris Ashley)
Marion Boddy-Evans (questions by Deborah Fisher)
Richard Vosseller (questions by Brock Neilson)
Deborah Fisher (questions by Corey Amaro)
Eileen Wold (questions by Michael Grayeagle)
Rob Myers (questions by William Andrews)
Gregg Chadwick (questions by Marsha Stein)
Chris Ashley (questions by Eileen Wold)
Verta Reyes (questions by Heather Schmaedeke)
Jason Dean & Matt Nash (questions by Rob Myers)
Mary Taitt (questions by Adriane Giberson)
Adriane Giberson (questions by Peter Ferko)
Peter Ferko (questions by Amethyst Begley)
Susan Schwake-Larochelle (questions by Jean Hutter)
Jean Hutter (questions by Mary Stebbins Taitt)